According to Sex Ed for Social Change, which follows state trends in sex education, the sex education curriculum framework for schools here in Massachusetts was last updated in 1999 and doesn't even require schools to teach the subject. It's time to support the new Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Health Framework:
There are only 4 more days to send your comments to DESE.
Governor Healey’s proposed updated curriculum framework reflects the Healthy Youth Act (MA bills S.268 and H.544) by requiring that sex education be comprehensive, medically accurate, age-appropriate, consent-based, and inclusive. The legislation still offers parents the ability to opt their children out of classes, and local schools the flexibility to shape their own curriculum with community input. It is endorsed by the MA Healthy Youth Coalition (HYC) and has broad legislative support.
Despite all this, the same right-wing extremists who have been at the forefront of book bans, attacks on LGBTQ+ kids, librarians, and school boards are now mobilizing against the new DESE framework:
Progressive Mass sent out an excellent post on how to contact DESE to support the new DESE framework, and I have created a tool that makes writing DESE super easy. Just click on the button, customize, and send your letter: